Cougar outfielder Kendra Mendoza holds on to a diving catch in the first inning as Canyon host Smithson Valley in softball on March 30, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Cougar outfielder Kendra Mendoza holds on to a diving catch in the first inning as Canyon host Smithson Valley in softball on March 30, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Photo: TOM REEL, Express-News

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Cougar shortstop Brittany Gomez wings the ball to first for an out as Canyon host Smithson Valley in softball on March 30, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Cougar shortstop Brittany Gomez wings the ball to first for an out as Canyon host Smithson Valley in softball on March 30, 2012. Tom Reel/ San Antonio Express-News

Photo: TOM REEL, Express-News

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Smithson Valley makes Canyon pay for errors

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NEW BRAUNFELS — After dropping a close game to Lockhart last week, Smithson Valley needed to beat rival New Braunfels Canyon if it wanted a real chance to win its 15th straight district title.

“It's one of those things that if you break (the streak), you're the red-headed stepchild,” Rangers second baseman Megan Hill said. “Nobody wants you anymore.”

The No. 3 Rangers avoided being disowned on Friday with a 13-3 rout of the No. 2 Cougarettes at Canyon High School.

The unexpected blowout — the teams' last meeting was a tense 3-1 Smithson Valley win Feb. 28 — came down to defense.

The Rangers (15-5, 6-1 District 27-4A) shined in the field behind freshman pitcher Regan Mergele. The Cougarettes (18-4, 5-2) had eight errors.

“You've got to capitalize on those mistakes because they just stack up on them,” said Hill, who reached base on errors five separate times. “If you can shake them up and get on base, it's a win-win.”

Things fell apart for Canyon in the third inning. Down 1-0, Smithson Valley loaded the bases on an error, single and walk. Lindsey Hood drove in one with a double, then senior Katie Repole blasted a three-run home run.

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Taylor Darilek topped it off with a solo shot to give the Rangers back-to-back longballs and a 5-1 lead.

After chasing starter Marilee Burge, the Rangers kept the pressure on reliever Andrea Robson in the fifth, scoring four runs while the Cougarettes committed three errors.

Canyon cut the lead to 9-3 with a two-run fifth. But Smithson Valley iced it with four more in the seventh that included a two-RBI double from Celina Massey.

The sloppy defense was out of character for the Cougarettes, but not unprecedented. They had nine errors in a home loss to Smithson Valley last season.

“We just get so hyped up when we play them that we just can't relax,” Canyon coach Kevin Randle said. “That's the only thing I can think of to explain it, because that's our worst outing of the year by far.”

It didn't help that it had been 10 days since Canyon's last game, which threw off the team's normal routine.

“It's unfortunate,” Randle said. “But now we'll see what we're really made of from here on out.”